Cue The Best Damn Band in the Land as we celebrate the NATIONAL TOP RANKING by singing

“(Fight the Team) Across the Field”

Fight the team across the field,

That team is # 18 Wisconsin. The Ohio State Buckeyes are on a winning streak against the Badgers winning at Ohio Stadium last season and (also against an 18th-ranked Wisconsin team) 20-17 two years ago in Camp Randle.

In the weeks before the ‘08 game in Madison, highly recruited freshman Terrelle Pryor replaced senior quarterback Todd Boeckman. With a little over six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Pryor orchestrated a 12 play, 80 yard drive ending in an 11-yard touchdown run to give the Buckeyes a victory.

Show them Ohio’s here.

Ohio State is currently the top ranked team in the nation for the 94th time in the history of the AP poll ranking third behind Oklahoma (97) and Notre Dame (95).

This match-up marks the ninth time Wisconsin has hosted a # 1 team. Bucky Badger and crew are 3-5 in the previous matchups. Only twice have they welcomed a top-ranked Buckeyes team, winning 17-7 in 1942 and losing 24-0 in 1973.

Set the earth reverberating

“The trenches is where it will be,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. “The run game, certainly. Pass protection, for sure. Both sides. That’s where the game is won and lost.”

The turf will be pounded by a strong running and passing game by the Buckeyes. It is the responsibility of the OSU line to create opportunities for the likes of Dan “Boom” Herron (77 rushes for 355 yds and 7 td’s) and enough rushing talent to accommodate a cross country team to get the ball moving for positive yardage.

The Buckeyes are facing a Wisconsin defense that is encompassed with Louis Nzegqu and J.J. Watt capping the front four and a line that has experienced many position transitions due to injury. Not to say that these massive creatures aren’t a force with which to be contended.

The receiving corps will face a Badgers secondary featuring corners who are about as tall as DeVier Posey’s standing vertical at 5’11. Dane Sanzenbacher (411 yds for 7td’s) and Posey (364/ 3) will need to keep one eye on returning strong safety Jay Valai as he is ‘credited’ with knocking Sanzenbacher out of the 2008 Camp Randle appearance.

With a mighty cheer.Rah! Rah! Rah!

Traditionally House of Pain song “Jump Around” is played during the 4th quarter in Camp Randle. This song debuted in 1992, yes 1992; never reaching # 1… much like the Badgers won’t top the current # 1 FBS team on Saturday. Whatever flies your flag Badgers.

Hit them hard and see how they fall;

The 248-pound Badgers RB John Clay definitely has motivation against Buckeyes, who have held him to 59 yards in 2008 and 69 yards last year. This season Clay boasts 692 yds and 9 td’s followed by his protégée James White (485/ 8). A fun trickery play for Wisky is to create a Clay/ James distraction and get the ball to Montee Ball (ah hem) who has reached 201 yds and 3 td’s in 6 games.

The problem with this scheme is that if I am on to them then the Buckeyes are certainly on to them. Wisconsin’s offense is designed to avoid negative plays with their commitment to a power running game. If the running game is shut down then Scott Tolzien will be forced to air the ball. Tolzien has talented receivers and a 70% completion rating but that rating is on 92 completions on 132 attempts… in 6 games against teams that Boise State brags about beating. This match-up is the real deal. Big Ten football much like when they played and lost to Michigan State. Wisconsin is one of only two FBS teams this season that has not yet connected on a touchdown pass of 20 yards or more.

Never let that team get the ball.

Ohio State leads the Big Ten in scoring at 43.2 points per game. Wisconsin’s defense allows roughly 19 points a game. The Badgers are rushing for 240 yards per game and have 21 rushing touchdowns in six games. But considering The Ohio State Buckeyes allow just 78.7 rushing yards per game and have given up only three rushing touchdowns in six games it looks like it will come down to who is more prepared to win this battle.

Ohio State needs a mistake-free performance from QB Terrelle Pryor who has completed 72.7 percent of his passes when forced out of the pocket by pressure. He has committed 3 INT’s on the season.

The other concern is with the Buckeyes steadily improving special teams. OSU must avoid handing Wisconsin any game-changing situations.

Well when the song was actually popular in ’92 we were ranked 18th and coached, by Cooper, to a loss in Camp Randle. Each season is different but I think if the Buckeyes come prepared on Saturday they have a better team and a lot of motivation to “Jump Around” on the Badgers!

Great article Becky. The Buckeyes will take care of business. I don’t think we’ll have a lot of success on O, but our D will stop John Clay. Tolzien will not be able to beat the Buckeyes with his arm. Low score, Buckeyes win. Get up, get up, and get down!

Your homer blog is sickening. How you couldn’t see that homefield advantage would prove huge in this contest is bizarre? Pryor is so damn overrated, this game proved it yet again. The guy makes horrible decisions at key times in the game. You are worse than Homer Herbie on ESPN. Be objective when writing rather than subjective.

Listen princess, I am sorry to have offended you with my article. I cover The Ohio State Buckeyes. I provide facts and figures. Fortunately for you, your opportunity to comment came AFTER the game ultimately knowing the result… a game which few thought the Badgers would win including some Badgers players. I did my homework. Instead of spending so much time being disgruntled maybe you should do a little relaxed reading and see that my information matched much of what the entirety of the media was suggesting. In addition, maybe you could look back at some Wisky play from this very season (ASU for example). I would say the only “homer” (nice, btw) move would be to ASSume that Wisconsin was going to run all over a team that is, without a doubt, the best team in the Big Ten in the last decade. I do appreciate being compared to Herbstreit. He must be doing something right. Bottom line, you don’t like my team, don’t watch them. You don’t like my writing, don’t read it. All of this unnecessary animosity cannot be good for your health little guy.

Mr. Rowe, I am a Buckeye for life. A true fan. Having passion for a team means standing by them and believing in them through thick and thin. It may not get the popular vote but I sleep better at night knowing I am not assigned bandwagon status. Any TRUE sports fan knows where I am coming from. Go Bucks!

Well… the BCS by definition is a clusterf@ck… maybe this will finally encourage the powers that be to actually get off their duff and do something to create a true playoff system. Best idea I’ve heard is to take all of the current bowl sites, rank them in terms of longevity and grade them for a tournament of playoff games. Determine how many teams would qualify, work out some bye weeks or brackets like in basketball and create a Tournament! Best idea ever.

Ugh. Yes, yes they were. I am convinced our d was, for some reason, boycotting the game and refused to show up… literally! I love my team but they lost all heart in that game and broke mine in the process!